2005-10-09 Sermon - Baldwin Christian Church 

Acts 1:12-26

Before we begin reading this passage, let’s see of we can get caught up in the setting behind it: 

It is springtime in Jerusalem, and six weeks have passed since Jesus was arrested in a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives.  His own friend, in whom He trusted, which ate of His bread (and who partook of His teaching), turned against Him (lifted up his heel against Him), and betrayed Him into the hands of those who wanted Him dead.   They succeeded in their treachery then, but the weeks have passed, and now the flowers of May are dotting the Judean hillsides.  The land has come alive with the early rains; in the fields the barleycorns are beginning to show, and Jesus is alive!  How do we know this?  Well, for the past forty days, He has shown Himself, and not just to a few people.  The Scriptures tell us that in the weeks following His Resurrection, Jesus proved in many ways that He was actually alive, even showing Himself to more than 500 people at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6), but He didn’t just walk around making a show of it.  While Jesus walked in His resurrected body, He talked with the Apostles about the Kingdom of God. 

Then one day, He led them again to the Mount of Olives, and there He commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit.  He told them of the power they would soon receive through a new kind of baptism, and with that power they would be witnesses for Him in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost ends of the earth.  When He finished saying these things, they watched as He was lifted up into the air where a cloud received Him, and they saw Him no more. 

As they stood there gazing into the sky, two men clothed in white stood by them and explained that Jesus was taken up into heaven, He will return, and when He does, it will be the same way. 

That’s where we are when we begin in Acts 1, verse 12. 

Acts 1:12-26

12. Then returned they unto Jerusalem… 

And, as Luke told us at the very end of his Gospel, 

Luke 24:53 …they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy 

If it wasn’t for those guys in white explaining that Jesus would come again, I wonder if the Apostles might have stared sadly at the sky for the next few days, waiting for the promise.  Those two guys in white did their job well.  They gave the Apostles hope, and hope is the reason they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 

12. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 

The Mount of Olives is separated from the walls of Jerusalem by a steep little valley called Kidron (the name meaning “dark” or “turbid”) and as the crow flies, there’s a little less than a half-mile between the Chapel of the Ascension and the Golden Gate.  So how far was a “Sabbath day’s journey”?  The tradition in Jesus’ day held it to be somewhere over a half a mile, but less than one mile, or about a thousand paces.  The key word here is “tradition.”  When men rely on other men to teach them the things of God; when we’re too busy to read and study our Bibles, the teachings of men are often passed on as being the truth, then the teachings of men become passed down as traditions, and in our minds, those traditions can become equal with, or even take the place God’s word, even though they may be adding to or taking away from the truth. 

What did the LORD originally have to say about Sabbath-traveling distances? 

Exodus 16:29-30 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.  So the people rested on the seventh day. 

Just like the children of Israel had then, we still have the opportunity to show our faith in the Lord’s provision on the Sabbath day, and because of your faith in Jesus, as Hebrews 4 explains, every day is a day of rest for you.  The original intent was for folks to gather up twice as much as they needed on the sixth day, and then stay home, having faith that the Lord will provide food on the day of rest.   No “Sabbath-day journey” can be found in God’s instructions, only the command to rest, and the only exception - to worship.  The only work to be done on the Sabbath was the Lord’s work, but because of stubbornness, the rabbis began to reason these things out and make up rules about it. 

The LORD complained and gave warning about this in Jeremiah 17:21-23...

Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. 

The LORD goes on to remind them how they would be blessed if they would just listen to Him, and honor the Sabbath as Holy; then He goes on in the next few verses and tells them of the awful consequences of disobedience.  So how does that apply to us today? 

My preparation for this message could be an example.  The good pastor gave me more notice, more time to prepare than he ever has before, but of course I’ve been distracted and pulled away from working on it more than ever.  The passage I’ve chosen is sort of boring; it’s the excruciating time of the Apostle’s waiting, the time between the glorious ascension of Jesus into heaven, and the powerful coming of the Holy Spirit.  I looked and looked at these verses, and I just couldn’t see much there.  Here’s where a detour to Hebrews 4 might help. 

Hebrews 4:1-4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 

(“We which have believed do enter into rest” speaks of a today kind of rest, not just the eternal kind.) 

Hebrews 4:9-11 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

What does is mean to “labor therefore to enter into that rest”?  Well, when I cease from my own works, from seeking my own profit and gain, it’s then and only then that I’m free to do the Lord’s work, and only then am I honoring the Sabbath.  Only when I set aside my own stuff, and offer myself to the Lord’s service, then I’ve entered into the “today” kind of rest in Jesus, and it’s only then that my faith is mixing with the works of my hands.

I can see my preparation of this message as a disaster; I can think that my selection of Scripture is boring, and yet I can rest from my worries about it.  I can rest from trying to work it all out on my own, or trying to add my own stuff into it, and, by casting my cares upon Him, I just decide to let my labors be directed toward that eternal rest; I can just decide to let God direct me in all my labors.  The key word here is yielding.

That was quite a “Sabbath day journey” I just took us on, so let’s get back on that road to Jerusalem in Acts 1.

13. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

14. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Notice how they all understand about Jesus now, and how they set aside their differences that all may diligently continue in prayer, waiting for the Holy Ghost.  This is something I have to do from time to time, too.  Daily, even hourly, praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit.  They prayed, even though Jesus had already promised He would send the Holy Spirit, they prayed anyways.  This is the kind of faith that God rewarded.  Even if my faith says, “I know that I know that I know”, true faith is never lazy.  Faith stirs our hearts to pray, faith continues in prayer, and faith is what gets the ball rolling with God.  They knew the promise of Jesus; they believed the promise of Jesus, and yet they still gathered to pray for the fulfillment.  When we ask God for things He’s already promised, I don’t think it’s a sign that we doubt Him, but I do think it affirms to Him that not only are we standing on His promise, but we’re standing behind it also.

Notice the strengthened faith of Thomas.  When Jesus appeared to the disciples on Resurrection day, Thomas wasn’t with them.  When they told him that they had seen Him, and that Jesus was alive, Thomas didn’t believe it.  Now he’s with them, and in one accord, one mind with them.

Notice the newfound faith of Jesus’ brothers at the end of verse 14.  They had known Jesus all their lives, and yet they didn’t believe He was the Messiah (John 7:5, Matthew 12:46-50).  This tells me that Jesus didn’t spend His younger days showing off.  After the Resurrection, they changed their minds about their big brother.

Notice the faithful women continuing in prayer with the Apostles.  They were witnesses of all these things too.  They had ministered to Jesus, they were at the cross, they were at the tomb, and here they are in prayer with the Apostles.

Notice the mother Mary, listed after the other women, just the way a “humble handmaid of the Lord” would want it to be.  This is one serious prayer meeting.

Notice the recipe for making good and Godly decisions:  They obeyed Jesus, and returned to Jerusalem, even though it was dangerous for them there.  They gathered together in fellowship with one mind and one heart.  They prayed together earnestly, even for the promise of God to be fulfilled.

15. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

16. Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

17. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

19. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.  (Psalm 69:25, 109:8)

Judas' legacy was a field of blood.  Perhaps he hanged himself there after finding no place for repentance.  Perhaps he fell face-first when the rope broke.  Perhaps his body lay there for a whole week, for it was the feast of unleavened bread.  If a person were to go near a dead body during the holy week, they risked being defiled and kept from worship.  Perhaps this is why he burst asunder, hanging or laying there like week-old roadkill.  The details of his death seem far less important to me than the legacy he left behind.  I don’t know the exact details of what happened to Judas, and I don’t know for sure how God has judged him, but I do know an example of what not to be when I see one.

And yet, preferring financial gain over the love of Jesus is something we all still do, even if we don’t realize it.

Peter continues…

21. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22. Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

I’ve heard preachers say that Peter and the Apostles acted hastily in choosing a replacement for Judas; that God didn’t honor their choice of Matthias.  They usually cite the fact that Matthias isn’t heard from again in the New Testament scriptures, but they forget that the same could be said about several others of the original twelve (Matthew, Andrew, and Thomas for example).  Even though Peter and the gang still lacked the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, they relied on common sense and the Word of God, which isn’t too bad of a combination if you ask me. It didn’t seem like it was their idea to replace Judas, but through obedience to Jesus’ commands, through prayer, through the reading of God’s word, and through common sense, they believed it was Jesus’ idea to replace Judas.  We should remember what Jesus had said to them only a month and a half earlier at the Last Supper: 

Luke 22:28-30 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Twelve was therefore a number prescribed by God, and He did not withhold the Holy Spirit from these believers who decided to refill the number that Judas diminished.  Peter deserves some credit for how he handled this.  It takes some guts for a guy who had denied Jesus three times to stand up in front of a crowd only six weeks later and use Scriptures to show that the thing with Judas had to happen.  This took a lot of guts for Peter to stand up and show them that Judas’ role in Christ’s death was foretold; that Judas didn’t spoil God’s plan, but he only fulfilled it.  I would imagine this speech greatly helped the body of believers deal with their own feelings of guilt and disbelief; it made them stronger, and helped them get down to the business of the church.

We shouldn’t think it strange that they relied on lots, rolling the dice, or drawing straws to select Matthias.  This was a system instituted and honored by the LORD, even going all the way back to Leviticus 16 (concerning the choosing of the scapegoat).  What we should note from this is that it is the last time lots are used in the Bible.  The very next event on the horizon is the coming of the Holy Spirit, and from that point on, it became His office to lead and guide the faithful into all truth.

Through the lot, God chose one of them to be of that special number; the ones who had been with Jesus from the very beginning of His ministry, when He was baptized by John, all the way until the day He was taken up into heaven, and they were to be reliable witnesses of His Resurrection.  This is very important, for, as Paul would later write…

1 Corinthians 15:17-19 …if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Young one, please remember this one thing: Should you ever fall away from the church; should the enticements of this world lure you away from Jesus and cause you to stumble; remember the Holy Scriptures, and remember the training you received in your youth.  Long after you and I are gone, the Word of God will still be here.  It’s the truth, and it will bring us home.  Cling to it when the days are dark.  Cling to it when your hope is failing. 

Those of you that no longer call yourselves young, remember that this book gives life to your years, and gives life to the fruits you can bring with you.

Our understanding has a shell on it.  If it didn’t, we’d go crazy.  We need to understand things or we go nuts.  The thicker that shell gets, the more set we are in our ways, the less open our understanding is.  At the Last Supper, Jesus opened up their understanding to see Him in the books of Moses, in the Psalms, and in the books of the Prophets.  Jesus can open up your understanding and give you peace if you only let Him.  Look to the example of these folks in Acts chapter one.  They obeyed what Jesus told them to do, they gathered together, they prayed, and sometime within the next few days, they will receive the power from on high.  That power is available to you right now.